Riverview Streets April 2022 Newsletter

Ramsey County, Minnesota sent this bulletin at 04/07/2022 11:30 AM CDT

Updates and Feedback

Station Area Planning Update:

Station area planning is a collaborative process to develop a vision for each new station area on the Riverview Corridor Modern Streetcar line to thrive along with the transit investment. The Station Area Planning Task Force is a group of community residents, business owners and commuters who help develop that vision for each station area. The Task Force and Station Area Planning team are set to begin reviewing the Grand Avenue and Kellogg Boulevard station areas. Their work will begin with a walking tour of the area in April to develop questions for an online survey to share your feedback. Look for it in the near future here.

Bicycle and Pedestrian Survey Highlights:

Over the last several weeks, nearly 600 people responded to the Riverview Corridor bicycle and pedestrian survey. The purpose of this survey is to better understand the experience of crossing the river on the Highway 5/West 7th Street bridge from users themselves.

The majority of participants (88%) bike or walk along the bridge for leisure or recreational purposes. Sixty-two percent of respondents said they feel somewhat or mostly safe while biking or walking on the bridge.

However, when asked what features would make the bridge feel safer, the top three responses included: 1) ramps instead of stairs for bikes, 2) a wider pathway and 3) more physical separation from vehicles.

When asked about desired amenities along the bridge, signage to trail connections, pedestrian-scale lighting and a scenic viewing area adjacent to the trail were ranked as the most desirable.

Look for further survey results in the May newsletter. Thank you to all who participated in this survey.

Off to the Races

Angie’s Hats is one of hundreds of must-see stops along the corridor. The unique and artful milliner shop opened in 2006. The black-woman-owned small business specializing in custom handmade hats for a multitude of occasions started as a class project and has grown into an international enterprise, supplying custom-fitted creations to hat lovers all over the world. The owner, Angie Hall Sandifer, has had a love and admiration for hats since she was just a kid admiring her mom’s and grandma's hats. That love later turned into her passion as she opened Angie’s Hats in Lowertown Saint Paul near CHS Field and soon she was off to races. With styles for any occasion such as weddings, holidays, high tea and of course the Kentucky Derby, this vibrant shop on the corridor is a spot for anyone in the Twin Cities and beyond looking for a beautiful, hand-crafted hat.

Angie’s Hats is located at 308 Prince Street, Studio 610 in Saint Paul. The shop is open by appointment only. For more info, call 651-208-4442 or visit angieshats.com.

^{Photo courtesy of Angie’s Hats}

Mouthwatering Menus of African Cuisine

The corridor not only offers a variety of vibrant events, but it also brings a variety of food options to delight the senses and tastebuds. At the north end of the corridor, downtown Saint Paul, Afro Deli & Grill features sambusas and Somali style rice. Near the Saint Paul side of the Mississippi River crossing, Five Star Café is known for its famous Eritrean/Ethiopian style breakfasts. Ras Ethiopian Restaurant and Lounge offers East African delicacies and Agelgil Ethiopian Restaurant is a popular stop for classic Ethiopian style dishes with live music on many Saturday nights.

Earth Day – April 22

The idea for Earth Day began in 1969 when Senator Gaylord Nelson saw the effects of a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, CA. He rallied Americans to take a stand for the environment. Thousands of colleges and universities across the U.S. held protests for a healthier, more sustainable Earth. Air pollution from factories and freeways to the loss of habitats for animals, even to extinction, were some of the key areas of concern. The rallies and the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, helped create the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Clean Air, Clean Water and Endangered Species acts into law.

Today, we still have similar and even increased concerns. As a recent Star Tribune article noted, the transportation sector is the highest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Minnesota. As population in the Twin Cities continues to increase, so does travel demand. Modern streetcar service is the right transportation solution to meet that demand in the growing Riverview Corridor. The Riverview Corridor modern streetcar will efficiently connect more people to more places, while reducing traffic congestion and our environmental impact – with no direct emissions.

Read: These are Minnesota's top greenhouse gas polluters (Star Tribune)

April Art Crawls

Riverview Corridor offers something for everyone. The last two weekends of the month offer explorations into the studios and minds of local artists for the Saint Paul and West 7th Arts District Art Crawl. The original crawl dates back to 1977 when founding artists of the Saint Paul Art Collective held their first group exhibition at Union Depot. Now the art crawls are one of the corridor’s most beloved events.

Saint Paul Art Crawl – Art on the Hill: Visit this model arts event that is emulated in cities across the country. Enjoy photography, textile and digital arts, pottery with live accordion tango music for dancing while fostering important, interdependent relationships between the arts community and Saint Paul itself. The art crawl is open to the public the weekend of April 22 – 24 at the Virginia Street Swedenborgian Church in Saint Paul – a work of art itself.

Schmidt Art Crawl & West 7th Arts District: Enjoy hundreds of artists and vendors for wining, dining and art-buying. Support the local community and have a great time at events at Schmidt Artists’ Lofts, the Friedli Gallery and Keg & Case that include open art studios, live music, dance, performances and interactive demonstrations from April 29 – May 1.

For more information, visit the Saint Paul Collective or contact any of the locations directly.

Mall of America: Go green and take a slime break. It’s Rock + Ride at Nickelodeon Universe Friday nights in April from 7:30 – 9 p.m. Boogie down with Mic Drop Entertainment and Team Nick to your favorite pop hits. Saturdays on the Green Spot from 1 – 3 p.m., kids 5+ can make their own slime. Parents must sign a waiver. For details, visit Mall of America

Mississippi Market: In addition to all the delicious healthy foods, juice and espresso bar, monthly classes and an indoor classroom for rent, the West 7th Mississippi Market is celebrating Earth Day 2022 with some special events:

Electronics Recycling with Tech Dump on Saturday, April 16 from 9 a.m. – noon.
Free Earth Day Compost Pickup Friday, April 22 from noon – 5 p.m.

Stop by the West 7th store for some free compost to use in your garden, yard or potted plants. They’ll be distributing up to five bags per person or while supplies last. In addition, Mississippi Market will be giving away food scraps starter kits from Ramsey County so you can participate in their free food scraps collection program! Learn more at Ramsey Recycles.

St. Paul Saints: Riverview Corridor links families to fun activities like St. Paul Saints baseball. In celebration of their 30th season, the Saints will kick off their “Classic Saints” theme on opening night, Tuesday, April 12 with a replica jersey giveaway featuring the fan favorite royal blue alternate jersey which includes the Classic Saints logo on the sleeve. Fans can guarantee that they receive one of the jerseys and confirm their correct size by pre-ordering the first of several Classic Saints ticket packages. Simply go to saintsgroups.com and type in the code: openingnight2022 to purchase this ticket package which includes an opening night game ticket, the replica jersey and Saints hat.